Sewing machines, and in particular industrial or commercial sewing machines, are often used in the sewing of large pieces of fabric, such as sails, large tarps, swimming pool covers, and the like. For such uses, a sewing machine may be provided with an extended arm to accommodate a large amount of fabric inboard of the machine underneath the sewing arm. In some cases, the sewing arm can be six feet or more, to accommodate large sections of fabric bunched or folded in the space under the arm. In the prior art conventional machines (see FIG. 1), the sewing machine bed is flat, and may be formed by a heavy polished steel plate. It will be apparent that the longer the length of the sewing arm, the more fabric may be retained under the sewing arm, between the sewing head and the support pillar. By way of an example of a typical use for such a machine, a large tarp or cover may require supporting straps sewn onto the cover at regular intervals. After each strap is sewn onto the cover, the cover is drawn inwardly such that the finished portion is pulled under the sewing arm. The cover must be folded as it is drawn under the arm in order for material to be drawn under the arm for the sewing head to gain access to the location of the next strap. This can require that the fabric be folded a number of times which is time-consuming. The alternative of providing a longer sewing arm, results in a sewing machine of increasing cost, weight and size. There are also functional limitations as to the length of the sewing arm. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an arrangement for a sewing machine wherein large pieces of fabric may be held between the sewing head and the sewing arm support pillar without requiring careful folding of the fabric.